Search

You are here

Family Rooms We Love

Family rooms are an integral part of any home. Whether in a one-bedroom apartment or a sprawling ranch housing six children plus dogs and friends, these are the spaces in which everyone can gather and relish each other’s company. Read on for some of our favorite family rooms.

Here, this family room’s warm palette of red, brown, and burnt orange is punctuated by vibrant aqua glass vases on the coffee table. Two rugged leather sofas face off over the round table, squared by another couch upholstered in “Natura Lattice” from Giant Textiles. The furniture’s U-shaped configuration is oriented towards the television, since this ever-growing family of six frequently gathers here for movies and sporting events. A colorful oil painting by artist Sally Bowring adds scale while complementing the room’s color scheme.

This lovely living space is reinforced with fabrics meant to take abuse. “In family rooms, I often use slipcovers and easy-to-clean wool rugs,” says designer and homeowner Colette van den Thillart. She fearlessly paired ultra-glam pieces with no-nonsense practicality, like the custom mohair octagonal ottoman that acts as a footrest, homework station, and dining table. Low-maintenance wood floors make the space ever more kid-friendly.

This North Carolina summer home frequently hosts family and friends, so comfortable seating was a must for designer Julie Price. Plush-backed armchairs and a rolled-arm sofa from Charles Stewart establish the sitting area. A bench covered in an oversized plaid is easy to move where needed for conversations.

“I always have a slight problem with televisions, though they are getting a lot more attractive,” Doug says. “Still, where do you put them? We wanted the television to blend in, so we were going to leave it open, rather than have a black screen in a light surface. But we didn’t want to have a big block of dark color, so the polished plaster of the wall that houses the TV gave us a darker color with a lot of texture and pattern. It tends to disguise the TV without being too distracting.”

This family room is as durable as it is comfortable. With two young children and an active lifestyle, the homeowners opted for a casual, colorful scheme for the terrace-level space. Ultrasuede fabrics cover the furniture to withstand traffic from the swimming pool just outside. Zebra stripes and fiery orange club chairs keep the mood upbeat and playful.

Clean-lined furniture in delicious chocolate and toffee hues harmonize with crisp white walls and soothing neutrals in this family room, designed by Gail Plechaty. A plush area rug adds undeniable comfort, its creamy color contrasting with the room’s dark floors. Bold drapery custom-designed by Gail tie the hues together.

A soothing palette of grays and blues exudes peace and relaxation in this family room, adjacent to the kitchen for an open flow of traffic. Sandy neutral fabrics cover the sofa and side chairs; an inviting blue mohair chair adds a touch of vintage charm. Pillow fabrics from Raoul Textiles and Jasper add textural interest to the sofa. A quartet of coffee tables from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams push together for expanded surface area. The arrangement is oriented towards a flatscreen television hanging above the fireplace mantel for a convenient (and comfy) spot to watch football.

This sprawling space of sink-down seating radiates warmth and life with its clear, bright hues and favorite flea market finds. Upholstery fabrics take their color cues from the homeowner's collection of antique amethyst-to-deep-purple medicine bottles. The family room opens onto the screened porch for casual indoor-outdoor living.

As with the rest of the house, building and decorating decisions for this family room were made with the health and well-being of children in mind. For decorative balance and laid-back charm, the homeowners used unfinished furnishings, untreated wool rugs, linen draperies, cotton slipcovers, hemp pillows, and mineral-based lime paint. Sustainably harvested white-oak hardwood floors were installed throughout the house and sealed with a low-VOC nontoxic sealer. Even the pool (outside the French doors) is chemical-free.

Color runs neck-to-neck with indoor-outdoor features in this family room's decorating hierarchy. Toned-down versions of fuchsia, gold, citron green, and orange are introduced in furniture, accessories, and window treatments, while walls, coffered ceiling, and floor remain neutral. In addition to the breezy palette, six sets of French doors help create the open, light, bright feel of a California beach house -- despite the fact this particular family room is in the upper Midwest.

Durability is key in a home with three growing boys. So this informal family room features sofas from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams that are covered in nearly indestructible white denim. Even the draperies and pillows are made from the easy-to-clean heavy-duty cotton, with orange trim added to give the room a jolt of energy (as if three boys aren't enough). A low, overscaled coffee table made from reclaimed wood adds texture and interest to the room and is sturdy enough to stand up to the rigors of family life. Rust tones in a rug from John Khalil echo hues in family room accent fabrics.

As world travelers, the couple who inhabit this home and family room wanted interiors that are beautiful but comfortable, practical but elegant. Toward that end, the family room includes details such as an antique Aubusson rug stretched over terra cotta flooring and earthy bamboo blinds beneath panels of hand-embroidered and appliqued silk and taffeta. Adding Old-World elegance to the scene are a 19th-century French gilt chair in the corner and such beautiful dressmaker details as the bullion on the flame-stitch armchair.

Such a dramatic family room is not unexpected when a homeowner adores color, glamor, and touches of glitz. Black-painted cabinets in the adjoining kitchen continue in the family room, giving visual height, stature, and elegance to the space. Vivid blue-upholstered armchairs pop against the glossy black paneling and voluptuous fireplace surround topped with a flat-panel TV. The family room's vaulted ceiling offers a spot for a sparkling Murano glass chandelier, while a faux zebra-skin rug adds a touch of whimsy.

Cheery blue-and-white family-room furnishings hold their own against classic neutrals in the form of black-and-beige floor tiles and crisp white woodwork. The sofa upholstery and drapery panels are made from simple white cotton, while a cushy lounge chair is covered in a cornflower-blue-and-white cabana stripe. Soft yellow-painted walls are accented by built-in bookshelves filled with colorful tomes. A bright green lamp adds a fresh burst of color.

The homeowner's vision for this neutral family room was that it should remain sophisticated and grown-up despite the fact that it's often overtaken by young children. With a stone fireplace as focal point, furnishings such as the sofa, a pair of armchairs, and a barrel chair with clean lines reveal modern adaptions of traditional design. A round glass table with a contemporary Asian-influenced base adds airy relief among the grouping of solid-color upholstered pieces. Smoky-color drapery panels made in an open-linen weave beautifully filter light into the room. See more from this location.

The decorating plan for this West Coast family room is all about sand and sea, minus the predictable beachy elements like seashells, cabana stripes, and nautical knickknacks. White woodwork and a muted palette prevail, with a "less is more" attitude taken toward furniture design and accessories. Crisp linen upholstery, wide-plank wood floors, and refined patterns dominate, while a custom mahogany coffee table with intricate angles rebels against the rules. The adjacent patio seating area and fireplace offer an ideal spot for outdoor entertaining.

Visualized for busy professionals who seek refuge in their family room at night, this space was designed with muted, restful colors and soothing details. Putty-color drapes and walls provide a neutral background for artwork and interesting furniture, such as the zig-zag patterned lounge chair and ottoman. A chocolate-brown sectional lined with pillows invites relaxation.

A clean palette and uncomplicated design imbue this well-used family room with style and serenity. Family-friendly features include putty-color Ultrasuede fabrics on the comfy furniture and a sturdy, oversized coffee table that stands up to children's need to play. The doors to the family room can be pushed back, letting the whole house become one space.

An interior palette of subtle, organic colors helps this casual family room complement - not compete with - the lush landscape outside its windows. White paneled walls, a sisal-color ceiling, and antique wood beams mimic hues found in the home's fieldstone exterior. Armchairs and sofas upholstered in copper- and chocolate-hued chenille fabrics are made for family get-togethers - especially barefoot lounging.

Restrained elegance characterizes the St. Louis home where this family room is found. White tile floors, neutral wall coverings and drapes, and creamy white woodwork let the lush exterior view take the spotlight. A Palladian window/door, which replaced dated glass sliders, leads to a gracious pool area. Inside, tight editing lets carefully selected pieces of furniture shine, including a leather bench with nailhead trim and a compact game table.

Showing that green design can be beautiful, this family room pairs sustainable materials with comfy, sophisticated style. A simple palette of grayish-blue, black, and white is highlighted by a fireplace mantel built with formaldehyde-free medium-density fiberboard painted linen white. The wood-planked ceiling was painted with a similar semi-gloss finish that highlights its architectural detail. The original red-oak floors were refinished with a water-based urethane.